Fourteen

J immy had refused to tell him where they were going. He'd simply instructed Nova what to wear and when to get in the car. Since the liberal use of sunscreen was required, he knew their activities involved the outdoors. Giving up control was both freaky and freeing, and Nova chose to focus on the positive feelings. That didn't stop him from trying to tease hints out of the enigmatic man.

Jimmy laughed at his numerous attempts. "Just sit back and enjoy the ride," he finally told Nova.

"Words I might echo later."

"Touché," Jimmy replied as he turned into a parking lot.

"Up a Creek Paddle Company," Nova said, then continued reading the sign out loud. "Your outdoor adventure awaits." He turned his head and looked at Jimmy, who was carefully backing his new car into a tight parking spot. "Did you pick this outfit because of their catchy name?"

Jimmy checked his mirrors one final time before shifting his car into park. "It didn't hurt, but their customer reviews are what won me over. They don't just rent out paddleboards and paddles, then turn you loose. They offer instructional lessons for rookies before taking them on a guided tour of the Wilmington River."

Nova looked at the dozens of people milling around. The idea of making a fool of himself in front of them made him uneasy, and his face tightened in warning. He took a few breaths to ease his tension. "Do you think we're all in the same group?"

"Doubtful. We might all be taking the same training lessons, but they offer several tours, ranging from the novice like us to the advanced paddleboarder."

"Promise me you won't wrestle a gator today," Nova said.

Jimmy threw his head back and laughed. "I promise."

They exited the car and headed to the office. The perky girl behind the counter introduced herself as Shelly and helped them sign in before outfitting them with boards, paddles, and life jackets.

"Is this your first time paddleboarding, or are you more experienced?" Shelly asked them.

"Newbies," Jimmy told her. "We'd like to take the easiest tour."

"Definitely," she said, bobbing her head vigorously enough to make her brunette ponytail bounce. She secured a yellow, plastic bracelet around their wrists. It had their company name and logo on it as well as the name of the tour. "You're in luck today because Steph will be your instructor and river guide. Everyone loves him."

"Is he patient?" Jimmy asked. "I can be a real klutz sometimes."

She laughed and patted Jimmy's arm. "Oh my gosh. Steph is the best. He's patient, kind, and knows this area like the back of his hand. You're going to have the time of your life."

Nova knew it was Shelly's job to talk up the place and their instructors, but her enthusiasm seemed heartfelt instead of forced. This was a young lady who loved her job and wanted the customers to have the best experience. He felt much calmer when they stepped outside with their equipment. Nova saw that the crowd had paired off into groups based on their wristband color.

"This reminds me of learning to play basketball in gym class," Jimmy said. "They assigned colored wristbands for the positions, and we had to guard the person on the other team who matched ours."

Nova grimaced. "That sounds only slightly better than the teacher choosing team captains and allowing them to pick their teammates."

"Right? You have to wonder how anyone survives childhood."

Before Nova could answer, a group of men and women exited the side of the building. They all wore black swim shorts and khaki-green tank tops with the company's logo on them. "These must be our instructors." Nova searched their wrists until he found the yellow one matching his and Jimmy's. No wonder Steph was their most popular guide. The man was tall, tan, and gorgeous. He had wavy, golden hair that fell to his shoulders, piercing green eyes, and a killer smile.

The instructor lifted his arm up to show his yellow wristband. "My group, please follow me." Nova nearly laughed out loud when a few men and women from other groups started to follow too, until their friends or tour guides called them back.

"This is so exciting," Jimmy said. Was he amped up over the excursion or because of their hot instructor?

The newbie group followed the guy over to a shaded, flat area about twenty feet away from the river. "My name is Stephen, but everyone calls me Steph." He gave everyone a brief but detailed bio. His confidence and experience helped to ease the concern on some of their faces. Nova wasn't one of them. "We'll start with paddleboard basics." Steph set his board on the ground and demonstrated where and how they should stand for optimal balance. "It looks easier than it is, so I'd like to check everyone's stance before we move this out to the water."

Everyone set their boards on the ground and mirrored his stance. Steph was right. Most of them wobbled and stepped off to the left or right before they were able to find their center. He walked through the group and offered tips and encouragement to each of them. Nova noticed their instructor seemed to linger the longest at Jimmy's board.

"You're a natural," Steph told him.

"Something no one has ever said about me before," Jimmy teased as his balance wobbled. Steph reached out and cupped Jimmy's elbow to steady him. "Thanks."

Steph smiled. "My pleasure." The guide looked reluctant to move on from Jimmy but plastered a big smile on his face when he stepped up to Nova. His expression must've betrayed his irritation because the guide's eyes widened, and his smile faded. "You're doing great," Steph said before quickly moving on to the giggling young ladies on Nova's other side.

Things took an interesting turn when their lesson moved into the water. Just as Steph cautioned, balancing on the damn board was much harder than it appeared. Nova lost track of how many times he tumbled into the river, but Jimmy was the first one in the group to catch on.

"See?" Steph said as he paddled over to him. "A natural."

"Like a fish to water," Nova grumbled as he pulled himself back onto his board.

"I'm a Pisces after all," Jimmy quipped.

Nova ignored his zodiac reference and focused all his attention on reaching his feet. One good thing about this excursion was the core workout he was getting. He was sure as hell counting this effort toward ab day. Placing his feet in the correct position, Nova braced his hands on the board in front of him and slowly stood up. It was his best attempt by far, and he smiled triumphantly at Jimmy when he managed not to fall into the water right away.

"Your goat is showing," Jimmy said.

Nova glanced down at his crotch, then toppled over the side of his board and hit the water with a hard splash. He came up sputtering and staring daggers at Jimmy, who laughed so hard that he too lost his balance and fell into the river. His head surfaced a moment later, and he shook his hair and grinned like a lunatic.

"I was talking about your stubbornness," Jimmy explained. "Why in the world would I use goat as a euphemism for your dick?"

"Greatest of all time?" Nova teased.

"Nice save." Jimmy's expressive eyes sparkled in the sunlight, and Nova ached to pull him closer for a kiss.

Steph paddled back over to them, his biceps flexing. Was the gun show for Jimmy's benefit? The guide kept gravitating toward him as he made the rounds. "You're almost there," Steph said. "One more try and I bet you'll have it."

It took three more attempts before Nova managed to maintain his balance long enough for the group to advance to paddling instructions.

"The key thing to remember is not to lean too far one way or the other," Steph told them and demonstrated how to steer themselves left and right. "It's very much like canoeing."

Standing on the paddleboard was one thing, rowing without pitching over was an entirely different challenge for everyone except Jimmy and Steph. The former fell over once but then remained upright on his board after making minor adjustments to his stance. Natural indeed. Luckily for Nova, he caught on to the paddling thing easier, so he and Jimmy practiced their new technique while Steph drifted to each student to offer encouragement. No matter where the hunky tour guide was, his eyes kept straying over to Jimmy.

"Steph is as great as Shelly promised," Jimmy said, sounding too impressed for Nova's liking.

He wasn't a jealous person, or at least he hadn't been before he'd met the vivacious man with auburn hair and tawny eyes. "He's a veritable cheerleader," Nova grumbled.

Jimmy whipped his head in his direction and paddled closer. "What's wrong? Aren't you having a good time?"

He sounded so worried that Nova squelched his irritation. Nova was ruining their excursion with his petulant behavior. Steph's good looks, stellar physique, and charming personality weren't to blame for Nova's sudden grouchiness. Insecurity and confusion over deepening feelings were his foes. Their arrangement was supposed to be lighthearted fun, but Nova had been the one who declared they should throw out all the rules. Except for honesty. He owed it to Jimmy now.

He reached his paddle over to snag Jimmy's board and tow him closer. "I'm having a great time now that I've managed to find my balance."

"Then why are you scowling?" Jimmy asked. "Don't you like Steph?"

"He's great, really." Nova cleared his throat. "Listen, the guy seems like he's really into you. And he's much closer to your age, possibly carries a lot less baggage, and is probably a lot more adventurous than—"

"Don't even," Jimmy said, cutting him off. He reached over and gave Nova a playful shove. Jimmy's eyes widened in alarm when Nova dropped his paddle and swung his arms in wide circles, trying to regain his balance. Nova pitched forward and back before falling into the river.

He came up sputtering and scowling at Jimmy, who smiled smugly at him. "You little minx," he said, yanking the board out from under his feet.

Jimmy hit the water with a splash, then swam over and planted a kiss on Nova's mouth. "Just in case anyone has questions." Jimmy's tone indicated that Nova had been included in the mix. "I wouldn't want to share this— any of it —with anyone else."

Nova studied him for a few seconds before nodding.

The two of them pulled themselves back onto their boards and got into position. When Nova straightened up, he noticed everyone else was paddling back to the riverbank.

"Is that it?" Nova asked. Could he sound any more hopeful?

"That's it for the crash course," Steph said as he paddled back to them. "Now we load up on the bus. The more advanced tours start from here and float down the river to the inlet. It's a pretty long haul, so we bus the novice and intermediate classes to ramps closer to the inlet."

"Makes sense," Jimmy said.

The vehicle was a refurbished school bus they'd painted khaki green with the company's catchy logo on both sides. Hitched behind the vehicle was a double-decker trailer to haul their equipment. Nova had seen a similar setup once during a canoe trip in elementary school. Nova much preferred being crammed into a seat next to Jimmy than some sniffly kid who liked to pick his nose. If it were dark, he'd take some liberties.

They disembarked upstream from Wilmington Island. It was far enough so Steph could tell them about the historic homes located along the estuaries and point out the native flora and fauna, but the distance wasn't too daunting for the novices to navigate.

Steph spotted a pod of dolphins in the water as they approached the inlet. As if they knew they had an audience, the majestic mammals put on a show for them, leaping out of the water and diving back in.

"They're like big water puppies," Steph said. "They especially love playing in the wakes the powerful boats make. It helps them get higher in the air."

Jimmy paddled up alongside Nova and sighed. "Better wait a few more years before you bring Millie on an excursion like this. She'll be wanting to keep a dolphin in her pool."

Nova chuckled because it was true.

Steph pulled a waterproof camera from his pack and took pictures of the various couples in the group. "Oh, wow," he said after he checked the digital image of Nova and Jimmy. "The dolphins photobombed you. I hope you don't mind."

Jimmy got so excited he nearly toppled off his board. Nova reached out to steady him and almost pulled them both over. Steph laughed at their antics, then showed them the photo.

"That's incredible," Jimmy said.

It took Nova a few minutes to even spot the dolphins midair in the background because he couldn't tear his gaze away from Jimmy's brilliant smile. "Beautiful," he said. "Can we buy copies back at the camp?"

"Of course," Steph said. "I'll upload them onto our site. Your receipts have a customer ID, and you can use it to view and buy the images online."

They paddled around the sound for a little while before floating to the ramp at Wilmington Island where their bus waited for them. Nova's legs felt like noodles by the time they loaded the equipment and people on board.

"We've had our fair share of physical activity this weekend. I have ab and leg days sorted," Nova said as he wrapped his arm around Jimmy's shoulders.

"Too knackered for anything else?" Jimmy asked.

Nova laughed. "What'd you have in mind? A minimarathon?"

Jimmy smirked. "Hardly."

Nova's core clinched when he recognized the heat in Jimmy's amber eyes. "Fine, but I need to recharge with food."

"Good thing a barbecue is included with our tickets," Jimmy told him.

"Barbecue?" Nova asked, sitting up straighter on the vinyl bus seat.

Laughing, Jimmy said, "Now there's a spark in him."

Nova wanted to tell him all the ways he burned for Jimmy, but it wasn't the place. He'd just show him later.

When Jimmy mentioned a barbecue, Nova figured a staff member would hand them a foil-wrapped hot dog, a bag of chips, and a drink. He'd been wrong. Shelly was operating a grill loaded down with burgers—beef, turkey, and veggie—along with a variety of hot dogs and sausages. There were large containers of baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad, pasta salad, and macaroni and cheese as well as a selection of chips.

"This is a barbecue," Nova said as he built a burger and added a small spoonful of all the sides.

"Save room for dessert," Shelly tossed over her shoulder. "We have cookies, brownies, and mini pies."

"I'll have one of each," Nova said.

He and Jimmy sat down at a picnic table in the shade, and several others followed, including Steph. Now that Nova knew Jimmy wasn't interested in the hunky tour guide, Nova relaxed and enjoyed their conversation. The guy was passionate about preserving the waterways and wildlife for future generations to enjoy. They learned Steph didn't just work at Up a Creek; he was one of the owners. Shelly, his sister, was his partner. Their grandparents had started the business decades ago, and it had been passed down, first to their parents before them.

The guys stayed chatting with Steph long after they finished eating until the other tour groups started trickling in.

Nova extended his hand to Steph. "Thanks for a great time on the water today. I can't wait to recommend your outfit to friends and family."

Steph smiled and shook their hands. "I hope you'll come back and try the other courses."

"Absolutely," Jimmy said.

Neither Nova nor Jimmy had saved room for dessert, so Shelly insisted they take some home with them. They took so long making a decision that the perky young woman nudged them out of the way and loaded a to-go box for them.

"That's a ton of sugar," Jimmy said.

Shelly smiled. "You've earned it."

"Did you get enough fuel or too much?" Jimmy asked Nova when they got back to his car.

"Take me home, and we'll find out."

Jimmy smiled and shifted the car into drive. Nova couldn't keep his hands to himself during their trip across town. He ran his hand through Jimmy's hair, rested it at the nape of his neck, or ran his fingers over Jimmy's soft cheeks. He would've been more adventurous if it had been dark out, or he'd been certain Jimmy wouldn't jump a curb or sideswipe a parked car.

Nova was so lost in thought that he hadn't paid a bit of attention to where they were going until the car came to a stop in the driveway of a two-story, pink gingerbread house. He looked over at Jimmy and smiled. "This is your house, not mine. Are you nervous and want home-field advantage?"

Jimmy shook his head. "It was closer. And I really want to create this memory in my bed where I've been thinking of you nonstop since we met."

Nova took a shaky breath and looked at the super tall edifice. He'd only seen the home after dark and had no idea it looked like something out of Millie's fairy tales. It was a picture-perfect Victorian dollhouse complete with a three-story turret on the left with a sailboat wind vane at the top of the spire. The first floor was dominated by a wraparound porch with ornate decorative trim and adorned with hanging baskets filled with ferns and vibrant flowers. The center of the second story jutted out farther than the turret. The architect had optimized those angles by tucking doors on both sides of the square kickout and adding a terrace. An intricately designed balustrade stretched along at least two sides of the home. In the middle of the second-story square was a massive stained-glass window. The third story was smaller and tucked under the sharply pitched roof but was still grand enough to have a set of double doors opening onto a smaller balcony.

"Which floor is your bedroom on?" Nova asked.

"I used to live up on the third story," Jimmy replied. "I took over the second story when my grandma decided she didn't want to climb steps to her bedroom anymore."

"Do your fantasies include me shimmying up that?" Nova asked, pointing to the flower-laden trellis stretching from the first-story porch to the second-story terrace. "I have a fear of heights, and I'm not convinced it will hold my weight."

Jimmy turned off the car and released his seat belt. "The front door is fine." He opened the door and exited without further comment, leaving Nova to follow or walk home.

He caught up to Jimmy well before they reached the front porch. "Just so you know, I would've climbed the damn trellis."